Bete Noire
by Arrietty
Summary: Sam's greatest fear Sam's POV Jack and Sam fic Thank you to yllek for the beta read and the title season 7 Due to popular demand, I will be writing a sequel to this short story in the future.


**Bête Noire**

by Arrietty 

Deep in the dark bowels of the fortress laid a fear to be revealed that Sam Carter didn't want to see. Part of her wanted to find out, another, welcomed the ignorant hope that fluttered deep within her heart.

He had been missing for five days. Going off world without the rest of SG-1 was almost unheard of for Colonel O'Neill. He always liked his team to go with him. But the team had been off world themselves, following up on a previous mission. The colonel was meant to be catching non-existing fish in his pond, not held captive by Terragarn; a goa'uld system lord wanna be. This goa'uld according to Teal'c was not powerful, but was slowly rising to power.

The corridors were dimly lit, only a few small lights set high up on the walls, betraying the lack of wealth this goa'uld had accumulated. Sam couldn't fathom how he thought he could increase his power by capturing the colonel?

The three remaining members of SG-1 came to a fork in the corridors. Sam had to make the decision to choose between the two. She wavered. If they took the wrong one, it could delay them further, but if they took the right one, she would know for sure, if he still lived or not.

Sam twisted her head around and looked to Daniel and Teal'c for guidance. Daniel shook his head, while Teal'c indicated the right one. She agreed with him, the lights were more prevalent along this corridor and hopefully this led the way to her colonel.

Fifteen minutes later they heard some voices. Jaffa and Terragarn, they assumed. Concealed around the corner from the enemy, they listened as the clanking of armour and the noisy booted feet slowly retreated into the distance. With a small hand signal, Sam indicated they move forward, around the corner to find a corridor with one door set into the side.

They crept forward, making sure their boots didn't squeak on the smooth surface of the floor. A small barred window was set high in the door. Sam reached up and peered through – a cold hand squeezed around her heart constricting it making it hard to breathe. Someone was chained by his wrists to the ceiling. She couldn't see definitely who it was, but she knew.

The door was easy to pick, a simple turn key would have opened it. With her lock picking tools, she quickly opened it and glided into the cell. The

interior smelled of fear and pain. A small sob began to rise up inside her, but briefly closing her eyes, she managed to suppress it and knelt down beside her commanding officer.

He lay half sitting, supported by the manacles that bound his wrists. Blood had trickled down his forearms to dry into a dark deep red. His head rested on his chest, sweat had run in rivulets down his face, tracking through the blood and dirt.

Sam tentively reached over to feel for a pulse, a thready heart beat fluttered under her finger tips; his skin chill on her warm fingers. His shirtless body was covered in burn marks made by a pain stick, some weeping from untended infections, while others just freshly done – branding their mark on his pale skin.

Sam looked up at Daniel, who was hugging himself; his face full of horror at what he saw. With a nod from Sam, he bent down and pulled out the med kit and an emergency blanket. Teal'c watched the door for any Jaffa.

Without a thought to her audience, Sam ran her fingers over his head. A feather light touch through the sweat plastered hair, and she unsuccessfully tried to convince herself she was feeling for any bumps or knocks.

Pulling out the small charges, Sam inserted them into the locks of the manacles. With a hiss and a flare they released his bound wrists and she grabbed the colonel so he wouldn't fall to the hard ground. He was heavy, and she fell with a thump onto the floor. The colonel groaned with pain and moved his head.

Sam leaned over the colonel, his head supported by her thighs. Daniel handed her the water bottle and she raised the colonel's head and offered him the water. He gulped at the water, and she pulled it back, telling him to slow down.

The colonel's eyes opened a crack. Sam wasn't shocked to see they were blood shot and full of pain. She offered him some more water, this time, rationing it so he wouldn't gulp it. After taking another couple of mouthfuls, he looked up at Sam again.

"Sam."

**The End**


End file.
